Surreptitious Saturday

G.O.M.E.R. *

*Grumpy old men & their elucidating rants

        We've been following a winter storm forecast for the past few days. The winter storm warning was predicted to start at midnight FRI & last through SUN 6:00p. We went to bed last night expecting to see snow on the ground this morning, also snow showers. I got up around 6:30a. Light rain but no snow. It finally started snowing around 9:00a, & we are predicted to get anywhere from 10-14" of snow by SUN evening. It's been snowing steadily since 9:00a. It's close to 10:00a. It's too early to tell whether we'll get as much snow as predicted.
        Here's my gripe. It's really too early to complain, but I don't like "worst case scenario" weather forecasts.  It seems like we rarely get the worst case, but I think meteorologists predict the worst case because if they don't, people will be madder than if we don't get nearly as much snow.
        By golly, if we're forecast to get 10-14" of snow, I want to see 10-14" of snow!
        FYI:  I am thankful that we have a son-in-law who takes care of our driveway when we get heavy snowfall.
        

Dept. of Shameless Joke-Stealing *

* Source:  Reader's Digest Nov. 2018

• "Cooking tip: Quickly slice a block of cheese by throwing it through a harp."
• "I hate cooking, but I am excited to debut my cookbook, Toast on a Paper Towel, 365 Ways."
• "Of all the bears that could kill me, the gummy has come the closest."

Gene Editing

"Chinese scientists appear to be experimenting with gene editing on human embryos. The lead scientist claims that the experiments have already resulted in the birth of twin girls. His stated goal is to make humans more resistant to HIV & other diseases. Whether embryos were killed in the course of these experiments--& whether they have achieved anything that scientists using less radical methods have also been achieving--is unknown. The risk that scientific projects like this one will result in the devaluation of human beings to the level of products of manufacture is, however, real, & especially real in a country that does not place a high value on human beings in the first place. Stopping unethical experiments in China may not be within the rest of the world's power, but it would help if scientists in other countries, especially America, raised their voices in denunciation.

        Comment:  Gene editing like this appears to be playing god. But what if gene editing could be used to eliminate diseases such as cancer? This still leaves me feeling very uneasy.

In case you were wondering

• There are 10,346 total teachers in the LCMS. That includes Lois, who is close to finishing the 1st semester of her last year of teaching before retiring. That number includes 3,186 emeritus teachers, of which I am one, having officially retired in March, 2017.
• There are 1,992 schools in the LCMS, including 1,127 early childhood centers, 778 elementary schools--including Christ Lutheran in Norfolk, where Lois teaches--& 87 high schools--including Lutheran High Northeast in Norfolk, where I served for almost 20 years.
• There are 184,375 students in LCMS schools, including 81,929 in early childhood centers, 85,414 in grades K-8, & 17,004 in grades 9-12.
• My source is The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2018.

PRAY WITH ALL YOUR HEART 

“Make haste O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!”  Ps. 70:1

“For this prayer is the shield, spear, thunderbolt, & defense against every attack of fear, presumption, lukewarmness, security etc., which are especially dominant today.”  Martin Luther Psalm by Psalm, Concordia Publishing House, 2017.